regarding Kanye West potentially siphoning off black votes

[mnmoderatedem]

let's be reminded that our first black president referred to him as a jackass.

and publicize it if necessary.

[UncleTomsEvilBrother]

1. There are QUITE...

...a few things the DEMS need to do regarding the Black vote. Aggressively addressing voter suppression is only one of them.

I'm thinking any person, Black or otherwise, who votes for Kanye at this point wasn't going to vote in the first place. Kanye has money and will probably be encouraged by rightwingers. It won't go well for him, though.


With the Black Lives Matter marches happening, Black voters are more dialed in this term. I'm sure everybody sees this as a PR stunt.

[StarfishSaver]

9. This

I doubt there are many - if any - black voters who will think "I was going to vote for Biden but now that Kanye's running, I'm going to vote for him instead."

[MontanaMama]

42. It is a stunt!

And, I really believe the MF’s people and lots of GrOPers think it’ll work to siphon votes anyway because they’re THAT shallow and uninformed.

[WinstonSmith4740]

56. Bingo!

Kanye might possibly be the only person with a bigger ego, and less ability than even Trump. Our brothers and sisters of color won't be fooled for a second. But Trump voters will think this is their salvation, because I'm sure you're right. His true believers are so shallow and (you were polite) stupid that I'm sure they really do think that "the blacks will vote for him because he's black". And you can't fix stupid.

[Lonestarblue]

49. Dems also need to pass some meaningful laws that help all workers, black and white.

Too many big corporations have gotten away with providing no health care for employees by denying them full-time hours. And those that don’t his also force part-time employees to change their hours frequently, so even though they can’t earn enough to pay their expenses on 30 hours a week, they have a hard time getting and keeping a second job because their hours are unpredictable.

Those working in the gig economy, which includes people of all ages and races, have no benefits either. They’re classified as contractors, and there are legitimate jobs as contractors. The problem is that too many corporations get away with classifying people as contractors by artificially breaking work into independent jobs but in effect keeping the same people employed full time for years but not paying the benefits that those classified as full-time employees receive.

And we need the equivalent of a Marshall Plan for education. Our current system works mostly for wealthy white school districts. This plan should provide federal funding to supplement state funds by identifying the poorest school districts, often Black and Hispanic majority but also white rural districts, and ensuring they have the technology needed, the best teachers (perhaps paid a bonus to teach in poorer schools), and an expansion of early childhood education and Head Start.

Many people may question where we will get the money, but considering the school-to-prison pipeline from the poorest schools and the cost of incarceration, we can save a lot by helping educate kids to be productive citizens instead of denying them the skills and education that often lands them in jail.

Dems have a lot of work to do!

[HipChick]

2. Kanye"Slavery was a Choice" is a purposeful distraction...

Nothing more...#BeBest

[img][img]

https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/01/entertainment/kanye-west-slavery-choice-trnd/index.html

[Iliyah]

3. The voting block of the AAs will not vote for West . . .

and the potential younger AAs, if they vote this year will go for VP Biden.

West is a partner in racism against AAs with shithole. I remember the movie "Django Unchained" wherein Samuel L. Jackson played a slave who was 100% in his master's corner, this is West.

[CurtEastPoint]

4. this

[Polly Hennessey]

5. Why? Why does anyone care

about an overpaid speed-talker?

[Gothmog]

6. @BarackObama summed up Kanye West best.

Link to tweet

[tulipsandroses]

7. I find the idea that people think black people would vote for Kanye because he's black insulting

Furthermore, Kanye's appeal and fanbase is to millennials. So if you are going to worry about what vote he is going to be siphoning, its the millennial vote. That's his core audience. You should not be worrying about the " black vote".

It just goes to show how out of touch people are.

I think this is a nothing burger. Publicity for his next project.

[StarfishSaver]

10. Thank you

I'm tired if people treating black voters like we're stupid.

[Nitram]

25. Im with you, StarfishSaver. It's an ugly and a stupid stereotype. You can like Kanye's music and

know that he'd make a terrible politician.

[StarfishSaver]

53. I can't think of a single black voter

who would say, "I was going to vote for Joe Biden. But now that Ye's running, I'm going to vote for HIM."

And any non-voter who decides to suddenly decides to vote because Kanye's running won't make a difference in the race.

But I do have a feeling that, if it gets to a vote, Kanye will probably get more votes from white people than black folk. We know he's a fool.

[tulipsandroses]

26. How many white people are going to vote for Tucker Carlson? or Ivanka? Both are rumored for 2024

just based on them being white? I betcha more than the number of black folks that would vote for Kanye just because he's black.

[MontanaMama]

44. White people probably won't vote for Tucker or Ivanka because they're white...

They’ll vote for them because they are racists.

[jrthin]

13. +1 nt

[HipChick]

27. Yes, highly insulting...It's like saying all

White people, the "White Vote" are voting for Trump...

[Quixote1818]

64. If anything, the 10% of Blacks who like Trump might be more likely

to vote for him.

[Cracklin Charlie]

8. Black voters are smart voters.

They don’t usually throw their votes away.

[Hortensis]

16. This.

[MontanaMama]

45. No they don't.

They can’t afford to. Black voters have, however, been the voters who have saved our asses more than once...like in 2018.

[mucifer]

11. The media will spend a lot of time hyping this because they want a horse race

[Afromania]

12. "nope", everybody around me "nope". You don't have to worry about that fool.

[Gothmog]

14. Kanye will not be on the ballot

It takes money and hard work to get onto ballot in most states

Link to tweet

[Fozzledick]

15. I think he's more likely to split the "total fucking moron" vote.

[Snake Plissken]

17. Republicans may dump Trump and nominate Kim Kardashian's husband

[paleotn]

18. Know how many black votes he'll siphon off?

That's how many.

[Ilsa]

19. I think voters have realized that electing an entertainer president

is perhaps the second stupidest thing ever done in the USA.

[Nature Man]

20. We aren't stupid

we're not children.

[mfcorey1]

21. What is his party affiliation?

[richdj25]

22. Mind you everyone

Kanye fans don't vote. Doubt if any of them have ever registered.

[Nitram]

24. That's quite a leap there, richdj25. One can like a musician's work without expecting them to

be a good candidate for president. A lot of Kanye fans will vote, but I expect very few would consider voting for him after his ridiculous performance in the Oval Office with Trump.

[richdj25]

41. No disrespect and no hate here Nitram

but this guys fan base truly isn't inclined to know what good policy is let alone vote. 2016 was a prime example of people sitting it out.

[qazplm135]

29. And if they do register, it would be late registration

😁

[ancianita]

32. Hey, I'm a Yeezy fan and I vote.

No worries. Everyone I know who's a Yeezy fan is a Democrat and would never in a million years vote for Yeezy. But they probably like the trolling.

Me, I think it's stupid. But I've still always liked his music.

[Nitram]

63. Eactly. You don't have to vote for someone because you like their music.

Kurt Cobaine for President!

[Nitram]

23. I suspect many African Americans love Kanye's music but do not see him

as a viable candidate for president. He clearly made a fool of himself in the Oval Office.

[HipChick]

28. You suspect wrong..

Many African Americans are not his fan base...again showing how out of touch folks are...

[Nitram]

30. I didn't say "all." I didn't say "most." Are you telling me that no African Americans like his

music? Could you suggest a source where I could get a better idea of West's popularity among African-Americans? I haven't been able to find one.

[ancianita]

33. These guys have been tight for decades, done music together, & their fans are mostly the same market

if not 100%. Just sayin'.

[HipChick]

36. Stereotyping..

is equally as harmful...

[Nitram]

39. Who is being stereotyped here, HipChick? Could you be a bit more specific please?

And could you provide a link to data about what percent of AA's like Kanye's music? Stereotypes are usually based on a lack of information. I wish to be better informed.

[Dopers_Greed]

31. It's unlikely that he'll be on the ballot

He probably thinks you can just announce that you're running, and automatically be added.

He is probably the spoiler candidate that Republicans are looking for though.

[Sloumeau]

34. Who exactly is going to vote for Kanye?

Few on the right would vote for Kanye over Trump, and by the time the general election occurs, most people would know that he is a Trump supporter, so few on the left would vote for him.

[ancianita]

38. Not Kim, Jay-Z or Kanye. Just because he's trolling doesn't mean they don't know this election's

serious.

This is branding and PR. He started this claim in 2015. I still have the Yeezy2020 T-shirt. He's just sticking with the old hype, not the least bit serious, and no movement potential. It's a substitute for live summer performances. He might do a show for the RNC just to piss Democrats off.

[HipChick]

43. Kanye has a new album coming out...Great PR action for all the attention he's getting..

[ancianita]

47. ikr? That's how he rolls.

[jayschool2013]

37. I'm a fan of Will Farrell

I would not vote for Will Farrell if he were running for president of the U.S.

[Larissa]

40. Kanye thinks he's helping Trump

. . . by running as a spoiler. It's unlikely Kanye will pull votes after all the shucking and jiving he's been doing for Trump.

[JCMach1]

46. Ties with Russian oligarchs

Can't make this mess up...

Link to tweet

?s=19

[Tiger8]

48. I can just imagine being in on this "strategy" session at Trump headquarters...

It shows that Trump is both desperate AND stupid.

Seriously, this is so stupid that Hitler would be insulted at any comparisons between him and Drumpf.

[niyad]

50. Welcome to DU.

[Tiger8]

51. Thank you!

I describe myself as a "Nancy Pelosi Democrat" who is normally just an observer and voter. But this election got me volunteering, donating. Our lives are at stake.

[niyad]

54. You are absolutely correct!

[nsd]

52. Please, there's no chance that voters who are taking this at all seriously ...

... will vote for Kanye West.

The guy was endorsed by Elon Musk. How more cartoonish could this candidacy be?

[dalton99a]

55. Special offer from our future First Lady

Link to tweet

[Jspur]

57. Black people are not

stupid lol. You guys have to be nuts to believe that he could still votes from them. I have joked around with black people the last few years about Kanye West since he came out supporting Trump. All the black people I have talked to view Kanye as a nutcase and a traitor. If anything he might siphon off black votes from Trump in the sense some of these Uncle Toms might vote for him instead.

[HipChick]

58. Thank you for this public service and stating the obvious

some of the responses in the thread surprise me to say the least..

[ancianita]

61. Yep. Too much flippin' out goin' on.

[Dukkha]

59. A total non-issue and waste of time

His name will never appear on a ballot. He'll never gets the signatures required, at least in the swing states that matter.

[Azathoth]

60. There are a lot of low-info voters out there

White, black, any color. A certain subset of them -- usually male, not always -- have no understanding of political issues or the political system but are nonetheless convinced it's all rotten and needs to be "shaken up". A pop culture entertainer like Trump or Kanye who behaves like a human hand grenade can be appealing to those kinds of know-nothing weekend anarchists.

Kanye's stunt probably won't go anywhere, but if he did get his name on the ballot, there *would* be votes for him.

[Gothmog]

62. @TiffanyDCross with the perfect answer to #Kanye2020 @kanyewest

Link to tweet